Help sponsor a child's scoliosis screening and connection to medical care. Early diagnosis for scoliosis is critical - 72% of time time early treatment can eliminate the need for more invasive procedures. But so many are found too late. Just $5 can change a life. Will you help?

Okay everyone - let's join together and raise some money to help children without access to care who suffer from scoliosis. Take the SHIFT #SuckitforScoliosis challenge! Get a lemon and bite into it while trying to keep a straight face. Can't hold your poker face? Donate $10 to SHIFT's outreach initiative which helps underprivileged children receive scoliosis screenings and connections to medical care. I challenge all of you - you have 24 hours or donate $100!!

I wanted to share with you some of the details from our April trip to help the people of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota.

The trip went amazingly well "“ even better than we had hoped for. Our goal was to reach 50 people and we actually reached over 253 people!! We met with teachers, school administrators, nurses, community health resources and many families & parents to raise awareness for scoliosis and to spread education about the signs and symptoms. We met several people with scoliosis and even more who said that they had a family member with it. We were able to teach a multitude of students in grades 4-12 during school assemblies where we taught them about scoliosis. After each presentation the kids were able to identify scoliosis on photos. This was amazing- what smart kids!!

We have been invited back in June to bring more services we and are very excited to return! In June, we have all sorts of exciting plans including scoliosis screenings in the community and introducing school screenings- we will keep you posted with planning updates!!

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who donated to help make this trip possible. Thank you in advance for helping to make the trip in June just as successful- or even more so!

We need your support to do this crucial work. Even just $5 can help change the life of a child.

In early April, we are conducting a scoliosis mission trip to the poorest place in America - the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Life expectancy is 48 and there is limited access to healthcare. Professionals need training and SHIFT will be there to help. Our two prong approach will: 1. Train volunteers to teach others how to identify potential scoliosis and how to seek care. 2. Directly train teachers, coaches, parents, caregivers and others to know the signs, symptoms and importance of this knowledge.

Additionally, we will be providing screening tools such as modesty gowns and scoliometers to community health resources such as schools and clinics to optimize screenings.

When scoliosis is aggressive forms or left untreated progressive scoliosis can lead to permanent deformities, disabilities, heart, lung and neurological complications, pain and even death. Early diagnosis makes a huge difference!

By teaching others, this information will extend outward like the ripples from a stone tossed in a pond. The more stones we toss, the more ripples of help and knowledge we create.

For two weeks in June, we will return to teach families how to successfully screen their children and provide them resources for what to do if they have concerns. In addition, we plan to hold a large screening event where a medical professional will offer free scoliosis screening for children and families.

Please support this mission and help this dream become a reality! Make a donation or share with your friends and family! Together we can make this happen!

Checks can be made out to SHIFT Scoliosis and mailed to:

SHIFT Scoliosis, 50 Alison drive, South Windsor, CT, 06074.

For more information visit: www.SHIFTscoliosis.org or contact me, Sami Petersen, at Sami@SHIFTscoliosis.org or 860-335-9596.

Keep up the great work raising awareness for scoliosis and the importance of screening for it.
We need you in Canada where school screening was completely discontinued in the 1980's and late diagnosis is 32%. Best wishes, Andrea